Gumeros "Greg" Peck
Backstory: Gumeros Peck was a Tiefling scholar studying among a group of like-minded kin from many clans, races, and religions. Their only goal was a quest of higher knowledge of this realm and its inhabitants, without disturbing the natural order or invoking powers for themselves. Gumeros, or "Greg" (as his peers would call him), wasn't the brightest of scholars but always enjoyed a good book and tale. This made him a well-read individual, but would often make mistakes along the way in the quest of knowledge. One evening, after getting a good deal from a local merchant on some old tomes, scrolls, and books, he began to dig into his new findings. After a few readings, he was on a tome that talked of a winter star that would bestow great knowledge and secrets of the world when gazed upon. This seemed to grab at Greg's mind stronger than any of the others as he began to read more and more of this tome's story. Despite the season, there was a particular passage written in his birth tongue, infernal, that could draw the star into the night sky. The passage seemed to be a simple phrase so Greg saw no harm in it as his pacing made him wander outside his quarters into the brisk night. He uttered the passage, not thinking past what the tome was already saying. There were many warnings but, regardless, as soon as he left his quarters he began looking at the night sky mumbling the words to himself. He was focusing on a single shimmering white star above. That's when he heard it... A voice boomed in his mind louder than any other noise he's encountered in all his years of study. "I am Delban, why have you brought me to your sky?!" It demanded. Greg manages to utter a response "I... I don't know, I was just really into this tome and well... here we are" "WHAT?!" It boomed. "You brought me, an all-mighty being of pure hatred and cold, here... for no reason at all?! What is your name mortal?..." Greg catches his composure and with a witty response "Woah, woah, woah. I was just reading this interesting tome and now I'm being yelled at?! What is your problem... being of hatred... no kidding. It's Gumeros Peck, or Greg, that's what my friends call me". Slightly amused by his response Delban echos deep into his mind a strange and alien language that seems to almost etch onto Greg's very soul. "Peck, you say? Alright Tiefling, I know what your kind lusts for and I shall grant it. But at a cost of course." Greg's world begins to grow. "Wait what? I didn't ask for anything what did you do?!..." Before he can continue his voice turns to a honk? The noise of his yelling, and now honking, brings his colleagues outside to see what the commotion is. "Knowledge. Power." The last words Greg hears through his mind. In horror, he sees his colleagues get closer to his honking form as he realizes he is now a common goose. With anger he lets out a loud honk thinking he has just been cursed; but a dark and eldritch crackle erupts from his goose form and hits a nearby tree, shocking himself and everyone near him. "Wait! Friends! I was just reading this tome and..." After realizing he can communicate with his peers as Delban did to him, he began to point to the tome at his feet and begged them to listen to his plea. But it was too late, they interrupted him before he could continue with disgusted looks on their faces. "Greg?... We can hear you in our minds... what did you do?" Said one of his peers. "You can't indulge in this... you know the consequences for your actions. I'm sorry Greg, but I have too" They all say in almost eerie unison with a twinge of sadness in their voices: "We hereby declare Gumeros "Greg" Peck denounced and banished from our order." They offer what they can to him but Greg only manages to grasp at some of his robes and his family's ring. He's dumbfounded, trying to gather his wits on what exactly just happened in the past 10 minutes. All he knew was that he was no longer welcomed there, as he waddled away with a few foods scraps from his closest former peers, his robe being dragged behind him, and his old ring now being worn on his right his ankle. As he walked he eventually came to the realization of what happened to him, why he has his new form, and why he has this power inside him. He had read about this before, he later deduced that it was an elder god he made a pact with, giving him the powers and abilities of a warlock. Greg just wanted to read a good book but now has to find a new way to exist in this world. Despite his form, he still manages to maintain some of his old charms, which help him bypass why he's able to talk to others through his mind and the more egregious fact that he's a talking goose. Like the case where he met another nice traveler on his path. Together they managed to fashion his robes into something like a warlocks robe on his small goose body for a few tales and short company. They also managed to fashion his old pocket into a pouch with some twine to fit around his neck. This became handy after they discovered Greg can conjure a hand to help him with some basic tasks he took for granted before. Not long after they parted ways he felt that anger again, the same anger that helped him cast his first eldritch blast. The anger is towards Delban and his damned double edged curse or blessing. Greg enjoys his newfound "mind powers" as he calls it, but curses his new goose form and its limitations. Further into his travels as he's looking for a new purpose in his goose life. He finds he can enjoy at least some of his old past times besides reading. Greg recalls that some farmers would let some berries, grapes, and apples sit out to start the process of wine and apple ales. He indulges when he can, it helps him suppress the anger bubbling within towards his new patron and the hopelessness he feels but tries to not show. This often leads to him being blackout drunk as he doesn't know how much of these fruits to eat to get the desired effect. Which can lead to him ending up in other areas he's not accustomed too. Or, say an island...